Province of Ontario announces new Conservation Authority Agency to improve service delivery

Province of Ontario announces new Conservation Authority Agency to improve service delivery

UTOPIA, Ontario (October 31, 2024) – Today, the Province of Ontario announced that it will introduce legislation to create an Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency to provide leadership, governance, and strategic direction to conservation authorities.

Specifically, this agency will be tasked to develop a provincial digital permitting platform, establish standardized service delivery and oversee the consolidation of conservation authorities with the aim of improving the province’s conservation authority system to construct homes and other local infrastructure projects faster.

“The government is right to insist on greater standardization and clearer processes across conservation authorities,” said Jonathan Scott, Chair of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA). “These are essential steps toward improving transparency and accountability. However, the proposed consolidation represents a significant and potentially disruptive shift. If not carefully managed, it could undermine local expertise and responsiveness, ultimately working against the outcomes the government aims to achieve.”

In his media conference, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Todd McCarthy noted that conservation authorities will continue to deliver these important local programs and services.

“Conservation Authorities remain one of Ontario’s best tools for balancing the province’s urgent housing needs with protecting the Nottawasaga Watershed from natural hazards and climate change,” said Jennifer Vincent, CAO of NVCA. “NVCA is committed to being part of the solution and will continue working to achieve these goals. This year alone, we’ve taken significant steps to modernize by introducing digital and standardized processes for permitting. As a result, our customer satisfaction scores have grown from 68% to 90%, and permitting timelines now meet provincial standards 95% of the time with an average review time of just 16 days. These improvement reflect our dedication to progress – and we’re ready to build on this momentum.”

Like all conservation authorities across the province, NVCA helps ensure that development is balanced with natural hazard risk reduction, safeguarding communities from flooding and erosion. The organization’s work in restoration, education and recreation efforts enhances water quality and quantity, habitat, resilience, and overall well-being.

The policy proposal will include a 45-day public consultation on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.